Minims® Prednisolone
Consumer Medicine Information (CMI) summary
The full CMI on the next page has more details. If you are worried about using this medicine,
speak to your doctor or pharmacist.
Minims Prednisolone contains the active ingredient prednisolone sodium phosphate.
Minims Prednisolone is used to treat inflammation of the eye(s) that is not caused
by an infection.
For more information, see Section 1. Why am I using Minims Prednisolone? in the full CMI.
Do not use if you have ever had an allergic reaction to prednisolone or any of the
ingredients listed at the end of the CMI. Do not use if you have or suspect you have
an eye infection or glaucoma (high pressure in the eye). Talk to your doctor if you have any other medical conditions, take any other medicines,
or are pregnant or plan to become pregnant or are breastfeeding.
For more information, see Section 2. What should I know before I use Minims Prednisolone? in the full CMI.
Some medicines may interfere with Minims Prednisolone and affect how it works.
A list of these medicines is in Section 3. What if I am taking other medicines? in the full CMI.
Your doctor will normally instil the drops into your eyes for you.
The usual dose is one drop instilled into the eye.
If your doctor instructs you to instil the drops, more instructions can be found in
Section 4. How do I use Minims Prednisolone? in the full CMI.
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Things you should do
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If you have any irritation, pain, swelling, excessive tear production or light-sensitivity
while using the eye drops, flush the treated eye(s) with lots of water (room temperature)
for at least 15 minutes. Stop using the eye drops and contact your doctor.
If you experience blurred vision or other visual disturbances, contact your doctor.
If you become pregnant while using this medicine, tell your doctor immediately.
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Things you should not do
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Do not use this medicine to treat any other complaints unless your doctor tells you
to.
Do not give this medicine to anyone else, even if you think they have the same condition
as you.
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Driving or using machines
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Be careful before you drive or use any machines or tools until you know how Minims
Prednisolone affects you. It may cause blurred vision for a short time when it is
instilled into the eye. Allow enough time to regain clear vision before driving or
using machines.
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Looking after your medicine
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Keep the unopened eye drops in a refrigerator (2-8°C) where children cannot reach
them. Do not freeze the eye drops or expose them to strong light.
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For more information, see Section 5. What should I know while using Minims Prednisolone? in the full CMI.
All medicines can have side effects. If they do occur, they are usually minor and
temporary. Do not be alarmed by this list. You may not experience any of them. Less
serious side effects include blurred vision and/or problems seeing clearly, cataract,
short-term eye discomfort, slower healing of the eye's surface, dilated pupil and
droopy eyelid. Serious side effects that require urgent medical attention include
uveitis (a type of eye inflammation), eye infection and allergic reaction.
For more information, including what to do if you have any side effects, see Section
6. Are there any side effects? in the full CMI.
Minims® Prednisolone
Active ingredient:
Prednisolone sodium phosphate
Consumer Medicine Information (CMI)
This leaflet provides important information about using Minims Prednisolone. You should also speak to your doctor or pharmacist if you would like further information
or if you have any concerns or questions about using Minims Prednisolone.
Where to find information in this leaflet:
Minims Prednisolone contains the active ingredient prednisolone sodium phosphate. Minims Prednisolone belongs to a class of medicines called corticosteroids.
Minims Prednisolone is used to treat inflammation of the eye(s) that is not caused
by an infection.
Do not use Minims Prednisolone if:
You are allergic to prednisolone, or any of the ingredients listed at the end of this
leaflet. Always check the ingredients to make sure you can use this medicine.
You have or suspect you have an eye infection.
You have or suspect you have glaucoma (high pressure in the eye).
Do not use Minims Prednisolone in children for continuous, long periods of time.
Check with your doctor if:
You have had an allergy to any other medicines, foods, preservatives or dyes.
You have any other medical conditions, especially:
eye infection
history of herpes simplex keratitis (an eye infection caused by herpes simplex virus)
thin cornea (clear front section of the eye) or sclera (the white of the eye that
wraps around the eyeball)
glaucoma (high pressure in the eye).
You take any medicines for any other condition.
During treatment, you may be at risk of developing certain side effects. It is important
you understand these risks and how to monitor for them. See additional information
under Section 6. Are there any side effects?
This medicine has been developed for use in the eye only. It should not be swallowed
or injected.
Pregnancy and breastfeeding
Check with your doctor if you are pregnant or intend to become pregnant.
Talk to your doctor if you are breastfeeding or intend to breastfeed.
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking any other medicines, including any
medicines, vitamins or supplements that you buy without a prescription from your pharmacy,
supermarket or health food shop.
Some medicines and Minims Prednisolone may interfere with each other. These medicines
may be affected by Minims Prednisolone or may affect how well it works. These include:
Barbiturates (medicines to treat seizure disorders, help sleep and relieve anxiety)
Sedative hypnotics (medicines to help sleep and relieve anxiety)
Medicines to treat depression
Medicines called anticholinesterases (used to treat Alzheimer's disease)
Medicines to treat viral infections of the eye
Salicylates e.g. aspirin
Medicines containing cobicistat (used to treat HIV/AIDS).
Check with your doctor or pharmacist if you are not sure about what medicines, vitamins
or supplements you are taking and if these affect Minims Prednisolone.
Your doctor will normally instil the drops into your eyes for you. If your doctor
instructs you to instil the drops, please follow the directions below.
How much to use
Use Minims Prednisolone only when prescribed by your doctor. Your doctor will tell
you how often to use the eye drops and how many drops to use each time.
The usual dose is one drop instilled into the eye as required.
How to use Minims Prednisolone
If you are wearing contact lenses, remove them before putting the drops in your eye.
You may find it easier to put drops in your eye while you are sitting or lying down.
If you are instilling your own drops, then follow these steps to use the eye drops:
1. Wash your hands well with soap and water.
2. Shake the container.
3. Break the seal.
4. Hold the container upside down in one hand between your thumb and forefinger.
5. Using your other hand, gently pull down your lower eyelid to form a pouch or pocket.
6. Tilt your head back and look up.
7. Put the tip of the container close to your lower eyelid. Do not let it touch your eye.
8. Release the required number of drops into the pouch or pocket formed between your eye and eyelid by gently squeezing the container.
9. Close your eye. Do not blink or rub your eye.
10. While your eye is closed, place your index finger against the inside corner of your eye and press against your nose for about two minutes. This is very important when administering to children. This will help to stop the medicine from draining through the tear duct to the nose and throat, from where it can be absorbed into other parts of your body.
11. Repeat steps 4-10 for the other eye if needed.
12. Throw away any eye drops left in the container.
13. Wait at least 15 minutes before replacing your contact lenses.
If you use too much Minims Prednisolone
If you think that you have used too much Minims Prednisolone, you may need urgent
medical attention.
Accidental swallowing of the solution is unlikely to cause any bad side effects due
to the low content of prednisolone.
If you think that you or anyone else may have swallowed Minims Prednisolone or used
too much Minims Prednisolone, you should immediately:
phone the Poisons Information Centre
(in Australia phone 13 11 26), or
(in Australia phone 13 11 26), or
contact your doctor, or
go to the Emergency Department at your nearest hospital.
You should do this even if there are no signs of discomfort or poisoning.
Things you should do
If you have any irritation, pain, swelling, excessive tear production or light-sensitivity
while using the eye drops, flush the treated eye(s) with lots of water (room temperature)
for at least 15 minutes. Stop using the eye drops and contact your doctor if symptoms
persist.
If you experience blurred vision or other visual disturbances, contact your doctor.
If you become pregnant while using this medicine, tell your doctor immediately.
Things you should not do
Do not use this medicine to treat any other complaints unless your doctor tells you
to.
Do not give this medicine to anyone else, even if you think they have the same condition
as you.
Driving or using machines
Be careful before you drive or use any machines or tools until you know how Minims
Prednisolone affects you.
Minims Prednisolone generally does not cause any problems with your ability to drive
a car or use machines. However, it may cause blurred vision for a short time when
it is instilled into the eye. Allow enough time to regain clear vision before driving
or using machines.
Looking after your medicine
Keep the unopened eye drops in a refrigerator (2-8°C) where children cannot reach
them. Do not freeze the eye drops or expose them to strong light.
When to discard your medicine
Discard each single dose unit and any remaining solution in it immediately after use.
Do not save unused contents.
Getting rid of any unwanted medicine
If your doctor tells you to stop using the eye drops or it is out of date, take it
to any pharmacy for safe disposal.
Do not use this medicine after the expiry date.
All medicines can have side effects. If you do experience any side effects, most of
them are minor and temporary. However, some side effects may need medical attention.
See the information below and, if you need to, ask your doctor or pharmacist if you
have any further questions about side effects.
Less serious side effects
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Less serious side effects
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What to do
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Eyes:
blurred vision and/or problems seeing clearly
cataract
short-term eye discomfort
slower healing of the eye's surface
dilated pupil
droopy eyelid.
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Speak to your doctor if you have any of these less serious side effects and they worry
you.
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Serious side effects
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Serious side effects
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What to do
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Symptoms of uveitis (a type of eye inflammation), such as:
red and painful eye
blurred vision
dark floating spots
sensitivity to light.
Symptoms of an eye infection, such as:
red, itchy or irritated eyes
eye pain
watery eyes
swelling
eye discharge
sensitivity to light
blurred vision
fever.
Symptoms of an allergic reaction, such as:
shortness of breath
wheezing or difficulty breathing
swelling of the face, lips, tongue or other parts of the body
rash, itching or hives on the skin.
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Call your doctor straight away, or go straight to the Emergency Department at your
nearest hospital if you notice any of these serious side effects.
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Some side effects (for example, an increase in the pressure of the eye) can only be
found when your doctor or optometrist does tests from time to time.
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you notice anything else that may be making you
feel unwell.
Other side effects not listed here may occur in some people.
Reporting side effects
After you have received medical advice for any side effects you experience, you can
report side effects online (in Australia, go to www.tga.gov.au/reporting-problems ). By reporting side effects, you can help provide more information on the safety
of this medicine.
Always make sure you speak to your doctor or pharmacist before you decide to stop
taking any of your medicines.
This medicine is only available with a doctor's prescription.
What Minims Prednisolone contains
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Active ingredient (main ingredient)
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Prednisolone sodium phosphate (0.5% w/v)
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Other ingredients (inactive ingredients)
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disodium edetate
monobasic sodium phosphate
sodium chloride
sodium hydroxide
purified water
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Do not take this medicine if you are allergic to any of these ingredients.
The eye drops do not contain any preservatives.
